106 Responses to “Show #201: Two Sweeps Mark the Braves Week”

Oh, and while I’m trying to look all cultured, I may as well go all the way with my highest browed discovery of the year (that recording of your singing makes me think you’d like this):

Rudolf Serkin’s performances of Beethoven’s piano concerto’s and also his performances of Beethoven’s piano sonatas. I’ve been liking classical music sort of peripherally for years, but a month ago I got serious enough about it to try and figure out exactly what I like. Definitely it’s Beethoven (first I tried to love Bach … didn’t work out, to my shame), and these Serkin recordings are gold.

ABT…do you feel you are more relevant by being negative? That seems to have always been the theme here. I’m no “yes” man but my impression is that you guys are absorbed with bashing the team and management. I understand that none of us know how the Braves will perform in these last couple of weeks but we hope for the best, right? I’d like to hear some more positive comments from you guys from time to time, not to be token “Rah Rah” but just more about the good things that could happen versus what the ” I told you so” seems to be coming.

Ease up, and let’s support the Braves instead of trying to make ourselves look smart when things don’t work out.

Tcc, making guesses about the personal psychic reasons for somebody’s pessimism is pretty low. Your optimism could just as logically be attributed to a need to say “I told you so” if things work out well… trying to make yourself look smart when things work out? But that would be a rude accusation. Maybe nobody’s trying to make themselves look smart. Maybe it’s their actual opinions? I mean, why wouldn’t it be? I think you’re way out of line.

Also, did you listen to the show?

“The team is not tight … they seem like buddies … patting on the shoulder … great, great chemistry in the dug-out.”

“I’ll take our remaining schedule any day of the week … it means the Braves’ll go 10-5 and the Nats 6-10 … but I have some hope around it…”

“There’s no way we’re blowing the Wild Card … just don’t see any of those teams having the ability to make that ground up … especially with Medlen in the rotation … I don’t see any chance that we don’t make the playoffs…”

“He seems unflappable … to not get shaken … the numbers are almost too good to be believed … why not start him?”

“… one of the best pitchers in baseball right now…”

“I believe that Fredi will start Medlen in that game …”

“… Fredi is ready to do whatever it takes…”

“it creates this great opportunity to wash away the demons of last year by knocking them out …”

“I think Bud [Selig] deserves credit …”

And the trust/mistrust section is built around troubled players. That’s legit and it’s interesting. There’s a comfort in sizing up your weak spots that’s pretty common to sports fans. It’s implied here that most of the team is trusted. I’m a Bama fan. Go visit the RBR blog; main topics of discussion are Fluker’s struggles and penalty yardage. We think the Tide’s the best team in the land, but these are the natural topics of discussion. “What’s between us and a championship?” The answer to that is always whatever’s the weak link.

“I’m still fairly confident in Durbin … been way more good than bad.”

“Heyward … Chipper … Kimbrel …”

“The pitching’s making up for a lot of the ills…”

“On the bright side, he only struck out twice.”

“Of course you trust Prado … Simmons … he’s been good since he came back. Two weeks from now he’ll be better than he is now.”

“It’s great to have Simmons back.”

“I trust him a little … he can at times will himself to be good. We need to trust him.”

“Good week for [Prado] … he’s someone I will always trust … trust his work ethic.”

“I thought Simmons looked good in his return.”

“Kimbrel can go days and days without an appearance and then come in and … strike out the side.”

“O’Flaherty has continued to look dominant as well.”

“Gearrin should be thrown into the good signs …”

“To take two of three … if that’s the way it turns out … gotta do so much for their confidence … to know they could play with some good teams…”

….just felt like being a smart ellek with a 1 word response to bub’s documentary….but im going to chime in too…cant. resist.

this show didnt strike me as particularly negative or cynical towards management or the team. I’m pretty sure these guys do this for fun, and do not try to appear smart. (Not that Curt could ever appear smart, even by accident. Unless it was opposite day)

i think ive been listening for about 5 years… just around a month or so before Curt joined….(and it has gone downhill ever since)

ABT is pretty consistently balanced, even cautiously optimistic at times, but basically realists. How can you not be a little cynical and skeptical after last year, or after 20 years of incredible talent and only on WS win…

Tcc, the only thing I would offer, and you’ve come on here and criticized us before, is offer up your opinion about the things we discuss in the show. Do you trust guys we mistrust? Do you feel confident in the offense? Do you think Hudson should start a one game WC game over Medlen? If you disagree with us, fine, tell us where.

And my favorite “I told you so” moment has been and will be for some time, my full-throated endorsement of putting Medlen in the starting rotation and the joy I have gotten out of watching him pitch from that point forward. Far from a pessimistic thing.

One last thing – if you think I am playing some character to be more relevant, ask Will, who have known since maybe the 4th grade, or Hamilton, who I have known since the 6th grade, or Steve, who I have known for close to 15 years now, if I have changed one bit since I started doing this show.

The team had been swept by the Brewers, looked abysmal doing it and had stopped hitting for the better part of 3 weeks. That said, we were all 8 or higher on the WC hope meter and 80% of the show was about the team making it to the post season. I’m not sure what you’re pointing to.

@36 – Bub, I’m embarrassed at the perverse thrill I got reading quotes from the show. But mostly thrilled.

@25 – Your mention of audible.com reminded me of the Moth. If you don’t subscribe to the Moth podcast, I could not recommend it more stongly. The Moth is a live story telling series. The stories are 8 – 15 minutes long and told by a collection of regular folks and famous people. It is one of my favorite things out there.

Remember my first post was berating you all for being so negative about Frenchie? Laughable. I’ve learned that the more negative you three are about particular players the “righter” you prove to be. I hate it sometimes but there it is.

@46 – Yeah, how about that madness?! What a good dude Yunel is. Reminds of the story DOB told about the first day Gonzo walked in to the Braves clubhouse after the Yunel trade and that they gave him a standing O. DOB’s contention is they were so relieved to see a professional SS after enduring Yunel that they were compelled to applaud.